also: くいっぱぐれる
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
miss a meal; go without a meal
Used when someone fails to eat a meal due to circumstances, often implying an unintended skip.
忙しくて昼飯を食いはぐれた。
I was so busy I missed lunch.
会議が長引いて、夕食を食いはぐれてしまった。
The meeting ran long and I ended up missing dinner.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
lose one's livelihood; lose the means to earn a living
Figurative extension: losing one's source of income or ability to make a living, often due to job loss or economic hardship. The emphatic form 食いっぱぐれる is common here.
不景気で仕事を食いっぱぐれた。
I lost my job due to the recession.
リストラされて、食いはぐれるかと思った。
I was laid off and thought I might lose my livelihood.